Check your school designation

Designation is a status granted by StudentAid BC to an approved school that allows eligible students to apply for Canada and British Columbia student aid including loans, grants and other student financial assistance programs.

Important: A school being designated does not mean all students or programs at that school are eligible for funding. Students must meet all StudentAid BC eligibility requirements and be enrolled in an eligible program.

Is your school designated?

StudentAid BC designates schools for both federal and provincial student aid. As outlined in the StudentAid BC policy manual.

  1. All public universities, colleges, and institutes in B.C. are designated
  2. Not all private training or out-of-province institutions have been designated by the government

How to check if your school is designated

  1. 1Open the list of designated schools (PDF, 105KB)
  2. 2Search the document for your school name:
    • On Windows: press Ctrl + F
    • On Mac: press Command + F
  3. 3Type the full name of your school in the search box.
  4. 4Check that:
    • your school is listed, and
    • the correct campus or location is listed
  5. 5If both the school and location are listed, your school is designated.

What do I do if my school is not designated?

Your school must be designated before you apply for student aid and before the first day of your study period. The designation process should be started early, before you apply, because it may take several months to complete.

If your school is not designated in the new system, you can contact the school (e.g. financial aid office, international office, Registrar’s office) to request they apply for designation in the new system. To apply for designation, please ask your institution to review the Institution Designation Overview page.